Economic Democracy

NWBCCC Economic Democracy Training

The Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition (NWBCCC) has collaborated with the Bronx Community Development Initiative (BCDI) to create a powerful framework that will transform our work and our neighborhoods.

What is Economic Democracy?

The Socio-Economic arrangement where the majority of institutions in a given economy are owned and governed by a broad set of public stakeholders to create a just and sustainable means of living

Or Simply Put:

Economic Democracy is the building of real decision-making power within existing and new institutions that would allow us to generate shared wealth and build ownership of assets so that the Bronx can be self-sustaining.

What are our Values and Vision ?

The economic democracy framework deepens our organizational values and vision for our community, shifting from responding to creating and putting more emphasis on several values that reflect the collective.

NWBCCC members seek social, economic, environmental, and racial justice for our families, our communities, and ourselves. We do this through community organizing that utilizes non-violent confrontation, negotiation, and principled compromise. We conduct our affairs with honesty, integrity, strength, and courage. To build a diverse, tolerant, and democratic organization, we act together to ensure all people are treated equally, with respect and dignity, without regard to their age, race, creed, sexual orientation, language, religion, gender, ability, or class. These beliefs are the cornerstone of our work.
In addition to this organizational values statement, the economic democracy framework has introduced some new values that influence our vision for our community and our work ahead.

Equity

Collectivity

Love

Community-Determination

Sustainable Abundance

Just Work

Cultural Pride

Creativity

Because we value Love, we envision a community where the well-being of all its members is the first and most important factor when making decisions. We value and support all of the diverse members of our community without exclusion or social division. The outside world is embraced with solidarity.

Because we value Just Work, we envision a community where everyone has access to respected, self-sustaining employment that taps into their skills, abilities and/or creativity. These jobs generate shared-wealth back into our communities, which builds a stronger Bronx economy.

Because we value the Collective, we envision a community where people share work, resources, and profit. As a result, diverse and vibrant communities are built off of an inclusive decision-making process. Collective ownership of land and resources should lead to a healthy environment and a sustainable economy.

Because we value Pride & Dignity, we envision a community where the culture and diversity of our collaborative hands and hearts’ work is celebrated freely and builds on our traditional and intergenerational strength.

Because we value Community Determination, we envision a community where all Bronxites channel our focused, collective power. We envision Bronx residents creating sustainable neighborhoods with resilient economies.

Because we value Equity, we envision a community where those who have been marginalized are given what they need to thrive, be healthy and happy.

How will this change our work?

The economic democracy framework invites us to approach our work differently, altering our perspective from simply surviving to thriving, shifting our actions from reactionary to visionary, and changing our work from fighting against bad policies and bad development to creating policies, development, and an economy that works for us?